"The Volunteer Soldiers Are Exhausted": Is the Government Preparing a "Silent Mobilization"? What Lies Behind the Reserve Forces Legislation
The Russian government has passed a bill allowing the conscription of reserve personnel for overseas operations. This initiative, proposed by the Ministry of Defense, is ostensibly aimed at completing tasks during peacetime, yet it has sparked social panic in practice. Many social media and Telegram channel users have interpreted this news as a signal of an upcoming mobilization—unlike 2022, this mobilization may be carried out under the guise of a "special training," as quietly and precisely as possible, to avoid widespread attention.
The Ministry of Defense has clearly stated that reserve personnel can be conscripted even during peacetime to perform tasks. Here, "reserve personnel" refers to citizens who voluntarily sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense to join the armed forces' reserve manpower pool. They may now be conscripted for "special training" to prepare for specific tasks, including counter-terrorism, participating in armed conflicts, or overseas operations. The decision to conscript them lies with the President.
These adjustments will be incorporated into the law: the "Defense Law" will explicitly allow reserve personnel to participate in counter-terrorism operations and overseas missions; the "Law on Military Service and Obligations" will add the concept of "special training." This new content complements existing training sessions and evaluation training, helping maintain the readiness of the military and conscription institutions. "Special training" will become a key mechanism to ensure that reserve personnel are always prepared for actual tasks.
Conscription of Reserve Personnel Is Imminent.
The official new measures have triggered panic among ordinary people—on social media, Telegram channels, and news comment sections, worried citizens have questioned: "Have the volunteer soldiers been exhausted?" People are afraid of a new mobilization and fear that men will be taken away from their daily lives again. In addition, many people mistakenly conflate "reserve personnel" (резервисты) with "reservists" (запасники).
The explanatory notes of the bill clearly state that the bill applies only to those who have voluntarily chosen to join the reserve force and signed a contract with the Ministry of Defense.
The Difference Between Reservists and Reserve Personnel
- Reservists: Refers to all eligible citizens included in Russia's armed forces reserve system, including male citizens who have completed compulsory military service, male and female soldiers serving under contract, graduates of military academies, and women with military registration. Joining the reserve system is an obligation rather than a choice for citizens, and the training level of reservists varies—some have just touched weapons, while others have not participated in military actions for a long time.
- Reserve Personnel: Belong to a special category. These individuals are in a reserve status but have signed a "Reserve Manpower Service Contract" with the Ministry of Defense. They normally work or study, and regularly attend military training, receiving monthly allowances. Not all reservists are reserve personnel: to become reserve personnel, one must voluntarily sign a contract and take on additional responsibilities.
This new bill opens up new avenues for the mobilization of reserve personnel. Previously, reserve personnel could only be conscripted to carry out combat tasks during mobilization or wartime; now, their scope of duties has expanded.
Reserve Forces for Defense
Some people immediately speculated that this move was to send reserve personnel to the front lines. However, multiple military-related sources, including well-known military blogger Yury Podolyak, pointed out that the core goal of the bill is more practical and necessary—protecting critical infrastructure such as oil depots, power stations, and other strategic facilities. Reserve personnel can become a reliable support behind the scenes, forming infantry units and mobile groups to ensure security where it is most needed.
It would not be wise to redeploy active-duty soldiers involved in the special military operation to guard facilities in the rear—this is like taking the best players off the field during a fierce match. Reserve personnel, who are voluntary personnel who have signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense, are exactly the ones who can fill this gap. They already have basic training, are willing to take on the responsibility of defending the country, and do not need to withdraw troops from the front lines.
Downed Russian Drone (Flying to a Russian Oil Refinery).
However, sending reserve personnel (especially those who have not handled weapons for a long time) directly to guard oil depots or power stations carries significant risks. To make reserve personnel an effective fighting force, the following conditions must be met:
- Live Ammunition Training: Master weapon handling skills, especially adapting to environments with civilians around;
- Tactical Coordination: Through team collaboration, infantry units and mobile groups form a unified combat system;
- Medical Training: Acquire the ability to provide first aid in emergency situations;
- Equipment Support: Be equipped with modern weapons, equipment, and technical devices to ensure that reserve personnel can effectively perform their tasks.
Only after such training can an efficient defense group be formed, confidently responding to various threats, whether it is preventing drone attacks or other challenges.
Long-standing Unresolved Issues
Mobilizing reserve personnel has been a long-standing unresolved issue that needs to be regulated legally. Evgeny Lening, a participant in the special military operation and a military journalist, pointed out: "In the modern world, using armed forces abroad to resolve diplomatic issues occurs frequently, and such cases will continue to occur in the 21st century—because diplomacy often gets stuck, and then military force serves as a backup."
"Reserve personnel can quickly gather enough troops at the required locations, both domestically and internationally. It should be clear that the concept of war has changed in recent years: in the Soviet era, we believed that armed conflicts were always defensive in nature; but now we understand that sometimes the best defense is to strike first. Proactive action can protect our military potential and significantly reduce the risk faced by civilians."
"History has taught us: we can only trust our allies. As Emperor Alexander III said, 'Our allies are our army and navy.' Today, this category should also include the aerospace forces and drone units. From this perspective, it is completely correct to regulate the use of reserve personnel abroad through legislation," Lening added. "It should also be noted that if the military does not participate in real combat for a long time, it will rapidly deteriorate—a system that develops very quickly. Without combat, the military cannot progress or form traditions; only through combat can the military become a reliable pillar of national power. Moreover, reserve personnel are truly willing to take up arms to defend the country."
The Issue of Volunteer Soldiers
Meanwhile, the federal television almost no longer reports on the news of volunteer soldiers queuing up to sign up for the front line. It now mainly shoots training grounds and related training scenes. Although some people still volunteer to join the military, the scale is obviously smaller than last year.
A participant in the special military operation, "Yenisei" (code name), briefly pointed out the reasons why men are reluctant to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense in large numbers: "lack of trust. The Ministry of Defense should fulfill the terms of the contract—for example, if you sign for a year, it should be executed for a year. Moreover, to be honest, the problem of meaningless charges still exists; there are many questions about the placement of injured and sick personnel. To change the situation, the children of the 'elite class' must go to the front."
Alexander Kartavkh, founder of the FPV drone operator training school "Horus' Eagles" and a blogger, expressed similar views. Based on a survey from his Telegram channel, he pointed out the core issue: unclear contract duration, the risk of "mandatory extension of the contract until the end of the special military operation," imperfect rotation and vacation systems, and concerns about "promised positions being replaced with charge tasks."
The State Duma has also noticed these issues. Deputy Mikhail Delyagin bluntly submitted an urgent inquiry to Minister of Defense Andrei Belousov: "Unclear victory conditions" and "clearly unfair cases (keyword 'Puzik') are important reasons for the loss of trust. The conclusions of the investigation are deeply worrying... Please, Andrei Ramonovich Belousov, immediately take measures to correct the identified problems."
Delyagin's reference to "Puzik" (Пузик) refers to the commander of the combined forces, Igor Puzik. He has been accused of sending two experienced drone operators—"Ernest" (Sergey Grich) and "Gudwin" (Dmitry Lisakovskiy)—to execute meaningless charge tasks. These two specialists in reconnaissance were killed in the Lesovka area, and the relevant investigation is ongoing.
"This is not criticism for the sake of criticism, but out of patriotism: correcting mistakes is the way to consolidate confidence in victory. Ultimately, the special military operation is our common battle, and the people's trust is the cornerstone of this battle."
What Is the Current Situation?
The government's passage of the special training bill for reserve personnel has exposed a huge gap between the official interpretation and public perception. While the official view sees it as a mechanism to establish a flexible and professional reserve force to deal with various threats (including protecting critical infrastructure and carrying out diplomatic tasks), on the social level, this initiative has caused panic and has been interpreted as a potential plan for a "silent mobilization."
This panic stems from deeper issues—trust crisis. As experts and participants in the special military operation have pointed out, the lack of public trust in the system is not only the main reason for the cold recruitment of volunteer soldiers, but also the core obstacle to the public's acceptance of new legislative measures. Ultimately, the success of any military reform depends not only on the completeness of legal provisions, but also on the people's trust in the country and their willingness to actively cooperate.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7561768894763926050/
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